No one had been around all morning, which had been surprising but also made it easier for him to sneak back onto the premises without anyone or anything providing too much of a problem. He had no idea where her room was so he couldn't even stop by to check in on her. With no other options, he had simply headed to the library in hopes that he could find something that would possibly assist in aiding him. He was about to ascend the staircase that lead up to the locked cabinet when he heard voices approaching.

"Calm yourself, my dear, I do not intend to go anywhere anytime soon without you."

Heat flared through his body. That voice was unmistakably his but it sounded off, as if the user was speaking through funnel.

"Please say you will speak with Seto about us today. I can't stand all of this sneaking around anymore!" Her voice sounded strange today, echo-like almost, as if something was attempting to overlay it.

The words she had spoken last night, the ones referring to there being someone else, but he had hoped they were false. Evidently they were true. He leaned slightly so as to peek from around the pillar and felt his heart stall. She was safe, at least that is how it appeared, but curiosity peaked when he found her standing next to a man with long teal hair gathered into a pony and dressed in a tight suit, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as she gazed up at him. Something was wrong though. Her usually clear and expressive cerulean eyes were now glazed as she nuzzled their side.

"Fear not, precious, I will formally ask him to attend later this afternoon when we have lunch."

"Why wait when we can speak now?" Atem never thought that he would be so relieved to see Seto, raising a brow when he slid down one of the banisters to cross his arms when coming to a halt in front of the pair. "We have never been on the best of terms, Dartz, and me finding you with your arm wrapped my little sisters waist certainly isn't helping you."

She bristled. "What if I want him to hold me like this? We are both consenting adults."

"But this is my house." Sapphire narrowed in warning.

Her chin rose in defiance. "Then consider this my heads up that I'm moving out. I'm going to be marrying Dartz tonight whether you like it or not."

It was if the roof had caved in. The impenetrable exterior that was Seto's defense looked shaken as his eyebrows rose. He wasn't the only one though. Behind the pillar, far enough above that none knew of his presence, Atem was clinging to the cold marble pillar as the pressure in his chest attempted to suffocate him.

"I have already spoken to the lawyers and taken care of everything," the teal haired man offered, bowing his head slightly. "I know how much it would mean to her if you were there to give her away."

The rest of the conversation was lost to Atem. His wide eyes unseeing, he slowly trekked back to his room and closed the door with a soft click of the lock. The shadow that had fallen over his eyes, effectively hiding them from the suddenly bustling attendants and staff, wasn't enough to hide the moisture that clung to his eyelashes.

"Whew that's a lot of stairs." The little crab flinched a hand slammed into the ground. "Hey, whoa, easy there, big guy." He had no idea what had happened but whatever he had missed was causing the eldest prince such grief that even his own eyes burned with the need to shed tears.

The pain in his chest erupted like a geyser as his hands rose to grasp his hair and gave into the heartbroken sobs that wracked his body. To see her standing there with that stranger and allowing him to nonchalantly touch her as he was infuriated him! The rest of the day passed, his broken heart tearing itself apart as he watched with bloodshot eyes the assistants bustled about the mansion in preparation with the never ending questions pouring acid onto the shattered pieces that now lay scattered throughout his chest. If this is truly what she wanted then he shouldn't interfere no matter how much he cared.

His breath caught as a door opened beneath the window he was lounging in as she exited the mansion. Her hair had been styled, soft waves cradling her fair face as the wind swept by. He blinked when she took a few steps then was when he felt and saw it: there were invisible chains made of magical energy that were connecting her to something still within the mansion, the thickest connecting to a strange choker around her slim neck.

Her head tilted to the left as the throbbing headache lessened slightly, causing her vision to clear just enough for her to recognize the path she was about to take. "What am I doing out here?" A hand rose to her hair, cerulean widening when she found her chocolate tresses styled. "Why is my hair like this?"

Amethyst narrowed as the chains suddenly grew tight, this time coming from the waiting liner in the loch ahead of her, and her hand fell to her side as she resumed walking. There was no mistaking it now. She was under someone's spell. Jono startled but was quick to slip inside the vest pocket when Atem quickly followed. The Ainma Vinculum was practically screaming for him to follow but it was his instinct that caused him to cautiously pursue as he made his way through the mansion. His timing was unfortunate though, by the time he had made it to the dock the sky was beginning to turn colors and the ship was already on its way out to sea. Silent sobs wracked his body as he leaned heavily against the support beam, his weary legs giving out from underneath him and causing him to slide down until he was staring listlessly into the water. Jono slipped out in that moment, scuttling softly as he maneuvered to be next to the broken prince.

They nearly jumped in surprise when Yugi suddenly launched from the water to flop unceremoniously atop of the dock, his eyes wide. "There's no time to explain, we have to stop that boat!" He grabbed onto Atem's shoulders, shaking him slightly when he gave no reaction. It was almost sunset, meaning that the terms of the contract were about to be in effect, but he would be damned if he allowed those sirens have their way! Yugi shook him again, hands rising to force his elder brother' head up so that their gazes met. "You don't understand what's about to happen and we don't have the time for me to explain but you have to snap out of this! I don't have legs like you do so wake up and put them to use!"

Amethyst widened slightly. There was a fire within the lavender eyes that were staring into his own, one he had never seen before, and within those flames were desperation combined with anger. Helplessness had taken root within his heavy heart. The ship was too far out and he had little magic to use.

Yugi turned his attention to Jono. "Send word to our grandfather, he has to know about this. Tristan, he's the walrus you met the other day, should be nearby. Go get him and do everything you can to stop that wedding! I own't let that slippery siren steal away my brother's soulmate!" His eyes met Atem's as his tone softened. "I didn't want to believe it, I tried my hardest to hate her, but she saved me earlier from that eel sireness. She sacrificed herself and wound up getting caught then was brainwashed into all of this. I can't and won't let them steal her away from you so get up!"

A new resolve took root in Atem as his eyes locked on the boat. His now burning eyes caught sight of a nearby rope and quickly tied it around his waist, then a spare empty barrel that was next to them, and held out the end to his younger brother. Now that he knew who was responsible there was a blazing hatred within his chest that had risen from the would be shattered remnants of his heart.